Sex Pistols singer Johnny Rotten made a definitive break from his past when he reclaimed his real name--John Lydon--and formed Public Image Limited. He was no longer a token punk rocker, but an artiste reveling in his newfound auteur status. The first six songs of this collection feature this vision of the group: hard, uncompromising, idiosyncratic tunes that turn pop music inside out with devastating results. Public Image is the residual fury of the Sex Pistols' breakup rendered with spiky guitars and Lydon's patented snarl. Careering and Memories are skeletal art rock based on the atmospherics of dub music and perverse dance grooves. But by the Bill Laswell-produced Rise, PiL was no longer a group but Lydon's personal pop vehicle. The music became increasingly accessible, allowing for alternative hits such as Seattle on college radio and other tunes that, while enjoyable, do not challenge the status quo as advertised.